How did Zoroastrianism end?
The Byzantine Emperor, Heraclius struck the first blow to weaken the Zoroastrian
Sasanian Iran. He defeated the Persians in 622 AD and in 627 AD he invaded
Atropatene (Azerbaijan) and destroyed the Great Fire Temple and entered the Tigris
provinces. Chosroes Abarvez or Parviz 'the victorious' attempted to resist him but
before he could do so he was treacherously murdered by his son Shiroe who took the
name of Kavadh and ascended the throne as Kavadh II (Qobad) in 628 AD. Shiroe
was born out of Chosroes' marriage to a Christian Princess, Shirin. This regicide was
the beginning of the end of Zoroastrian Iran. It is interesting to note that Chosroes
Parviz had succeeded in extending the frontiers of the Sasanian Empire almost to the
limits of the Achaemenid Empire, but at the critical juncture his son betrayed him. It
is an irony of fate that Kavadah II who murdered his father to come to the throne died
within a year in an epidemic and succeeded by his infant son Ardashir III who was
assassinated by Shahrbaraz, a General of the Persian Army who seized the throne, in
turn being murdered during his reign of two months. Anarchy set in and resulted in
the succession of short-time rulers, Yazdegerd, the son of Shahriyar, and grandson of
Chosroe was found in Istaker fire-temple and he came to the throne in 633 AD. He
became the last Sasanian King. A perfect scenario was in order for the tribal savagery
of united Arab Bedouins to cast the final blow. The prolonged exhausting hostilities
reduced the might and power of both Iran and Byzantium, opening the door for a
newly emerging force from the Arabian Desert to challenge both the states and
religions. After several encounters, the fate of the Sasanian Empire was sealed in the
battle of al-Qaadisiyah (636/637 AD) on the Euphrates canal, near al-Hirah where to
make matters worse, Rustam, the Sasanian Supreme Commander-in-Chief was killed.
Ctesiphon, the Sasanian capital with all its vast treasures was now at the mercy of the
victorious Arabs. Yezdegerd fled to Media and with the help of his Generals
organized new resistance and the last battle was fought at Nehavand (642 AD), south
of Hamadan, which finally put an end to all hopes of regaining the Empire. This was
the beginning of the darkest age of Zoroastrianism. Yezdegerd sought refuge in one
province after another until at last in 651 AD; he was assassinated near Merve by a
miller for his jewels clad sword. With the fall of the Empire, the fate of its religion
was also sealed.

What special festivals do Zoroastrians
celebrate?
Zoroastrianism has numerous festivals and holy days, all of which are bound to the
Zoroastrian calendar. The Shahenshahi and Kadmi variants of the calendar do not
intercalate leap years and hence the day of the Gregorian calendar year on which these
days are celebrated shifts ahead with time. The third variant of the Zoroastrian calendar,
known as either Fasli (in India) or Bastani (in Iran), intercalates according to Gregorian
calendar rules and thus remains synchronous with the seasons. For details on the
differences, see calendar.
The seasonal festivals, called gahambars (meaning "proper
season"), occur six times a year. Due to the peculiarities of the Shahenshahi and Kadmi
variants of the Zoroastrian calendar, in those variants the seasonal festivals are actually
celebrated many months in advance and are therefore said to reflect the six "primordial
creations" of Ahura Mazda, otherwise known as the Amesha Spentas. The six festivals are:
▪ Maidyozarem Gahambar ('mid-spring' feast)
▪ Maidyoshahem Gahambar ('mid-summer' feast)
▪ Paitishahem Gahambar (feast of 'bringing in the harvest')
▪ Ayathrem Gahambar ('bringing home the herds')
▪ Maidyarem Gahambar ('mid-year'/winter feast)
▪ Hamaspathmaidyem Gahambar (feast of 'all souls', literally 'coming of the whole group')
Each of these festivals is celebrated over five days.

What Gods do Zoroastrians believe in?
Zoroastrians believe in one God, called Ahura Mazda (meaning 'Wise
Lord'). He is compassionate, just, and is the creator of the universe.
God is worshiped as supreme. Zoroastrians believe that everything
he created is pure and should be treated with love and respect. This
includes the natural environment,
so Zoroastrians traditionally do not pollute the rivers, land or
atmosphere. This has caused some to call Zoroastrianism 'the first
ecological religion'. Zoroastrians believe that Zoroaster is the
prophet of God. Zoroaster himself is not worshipped, but through
his teachings man can become close to God by following the path of
truth and righteousness (asha). Ahura MazdÄ (also known as Ohrmazd,
Ahuramazda, Hourmazd, Hormazd, Hurmuz, Aramazd and Azzandara) is the
Avestan name for a divinity of the Old Iranian religion that was proclaimed the
uncreated God by Zoroaster, the founder of Zoroastrianism. Ahura Mazda is
described as the highest deity of worship in Zoroastrianism, along with being
the first and most frequently invoked deity in the Yasna. The word Ahura
means light and Mazda means wisdom. Thus Ahura Mazda is the lord of light
and wisdom. Ahura Mazda is the creator and upholder of Arta (truth). Ahura
Mazda is an omniscient (though not omnipotent) god, who would eventually
destroy evil. Ahura Mazda's counterpart is Angra Mainyu, the "evil spirit" and
the creator of evil who will be destroyed before frashokereti (the destruction of
evil).
Ahura Mazda first appeared in the Achaemenid period (c. 550â&#x20AC;&#x201C;330 BCE)
under Darius I's Behistun Inscription. Until Artaxerxes II (405-04 to 359-58
BCE), Ahura Mazda was worshiped and invoked alone. With Artaxerxes II,
Ahura Mazda was invoked in a triad, with Mithra and Apam Napat. In the
Achaemenid period, there are no representations of Ahura Mazda other than
the custom for every emperor to have an empty chariot drawn by white
horses, to invite Ahura Mazda to accompany the Persian army on battles.
Images of Ahura Mazda began in the Parthian period, but were stopped and
replaced with stone-carved figures in the Sassanid period.

How
did
Zoroastrianism
start?
Around 1000 BC (probably), about the same time that
people in India were writing the Riga
Veda,
a man named
Zoroaster (also called Zarathustra) was a priest in a
small temple in to, eastern part of Western Asia
in an
area with a lot of small kingdoms and no major power.
Zoroaster believed that he heard the voice of his chief
god, Ahura Mazda, speaking to him and telling him to
start a new religion. He told people that the god was
speaking to him, and what the god wanted, but they
didn't believe that the god was really speaking to him.
The other people in the town just thought he was
suffering from mental illness. They laughed at him and
made fun of him. Zoroaster sadly left town and travelled
around West Asia looking for somebody who would
believe him. Finally he found a king who did believe him.
He started to get some followers. The new religion
stayed small for five hundred years, but then they had a
big success. We don't know how it happened, but
Zoroaster's followers convinced the new king of the
Persians, Cyrus, to support Zoroastrianism (named after
Zoroaster). With the support of the king, Zoroastrianism
soon became very popular.

What
is
the
name
of
the
people
who
believe
in
Zoroastrianism
and
how
do
they
act
upon
their
religion?
The
names
of
the
people
who
believe
in
Zoroastrianism
are
called
Zoroastrians.
He/she
has
a
long
white
gown,
a
rectangular
hat
and
a
silver
stick,
which
they
use
for
lighting
the
fire.
They
act
upon
their
religion
by
praying
everyday.
Zoroastrian
worship
practices
have
evolved
from
ancient
times
to
the
present
day.
Traditionally,
Zoroastrians
worship
individually
at
home,
or
in
the
open,
facing
a
source
of
light.
Zoroastrian
scriptures
do
not
prescribe
worshipping
in
a
temple
and
make
no
mention
of
Zoroastrian
places
of
worship.
In
ancient
times,
historical
records
state
than
when
the
community
gathered
together
for
a
religious
event,
they
did
so
in
open
air
gathering
areas
around
a
podium
where
a
fire
was
lit.
The
gathering
areas
were
on
hillsides
and
hilltops.
Over
time,
Zoroastrians
developed
the
concept
of
worshipping
in
temples,
sometimes
called
fire
temples.
The
temples
contain
an
inner
sanctum
(pavi)
or
platform
where
a
fire
is
maintained
or
placed.
This
is
because
Zoroastrians
face
a
source
of
light
when
they
pray.
In
temples
the
source
of
light
is
a
flame
maintained
in
a
fire
urn.
In
certain
temples,
this
fire
is
kept
burning
continuously,
representing
an
eternal
flame.
Sanctum in a Fire Temple